Farm to fork

Eat local when eating out

Donna R. Dolan Special to the Times Unio, Times Union

By Donna R. Dolan Special to the Times Union

Published 12:00 am, Thursday, September 9, 2010

Max London and farmer Albert Sheldon hold some of the tomatoes Sheldon produces for London's restaurant in Saratoga Springs. London's Summer Vegetable Panzanella, at top, is made with vegetables exclusively from Sheldon Farms in Salem. Sheldon Farms is also a local supplier for Yono?s, Dale Miller, Mrs. London?s, Hattie's, Sperry?s and March? (Luanne M. Ferris / Times Union)

The tomatoes in the soup at Max London's come from Sheldon Farms. The Saratoga Springs restaurant is among a number of eateries in and around the Capital Region that have made buying and serving local products a priority. (Luanne M. Ferris / Times Union)

Serving local produce, and serving locally sourced meats and seafood, were the top two restaurant trends of 2010, according to a survey of more than 1,800 professional chefs by the National Restaurant Association. And many restaurants in the Capital Region offer locally sourced dishes, generally defined as those produced within a 100-mile radius.

Others have brought the trend even closer to home by creating restaurant gardens. Good Times Lakeview Restaurant in Ballston Lake has been cultivating tomatoes, zucchini, herbs, blueberries, blackberries and boysenberries in its 4-acre organic garden for 34 years. Jake Moon Cafe in Clarksville is pulling tomatoes and salad greens to the table from chef Daniel Smith's garden in the Heldebergs. He hasn't had to buy either for the past month. Gardening is one of his hobbies, Smith says, and it "makes a powerful political and economic statement."

At the Ginger Man in Albany, chef Brian Bowden has a "bucket garden" containing heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, pepperoncini, basil, thyme and cilantro at his home, as well as a chef's garden at the restaurant. He plans to add rooftop and raised gardens to the restaurant in 2011. He grows his own, he says, because "it makes for a much better, fresher product." At Creo in Guilderland, chefs tend to the garden of tomatoes, eggplant, onions and herbs that rings the restaurant.

Two unusual restaurants have been offering local fare year-round for 20 years. In fact, Damon Baehrel, the chef, owner and gardener at the Basement Bistro in Earlton, does everything from preserving meats to making cheese to producing compost. The restaurant seats 20 and has a two- to three-year wait list, but "if you're flexible, you might get in earlier." At $105 to $125 per person for dinner, it is the stuff for an occasion.

Hobson's Choice has been serving local vegetables in Williamstown, Mass., since 1991. Chef and owner Dan Campbell's vegetables are picked in the morning and served that night. He gets vegetable deliveries seven days a week from Peace Valley Farm in Williamstown, and uses local vegetables into the winter.

Lori Selden, owner of Mexican Radio in Hudson, co-founded Columbia County Bounty as a way to link chefs with local suppliers. A byproduct of the venture is a website listing 20 restaurants in Columbia County that offer local foods, including Lipperas at the Chatham House and the Verdigris Tea Cafe and Bakery in Hudson. The Bounty has expanded to include Dutchess and Orange counties.

A good way to find locally sourced food is to call farmers and ask which restaurants they supply. Elihu Farms in Valley Falls supplies lamb to to Black Watch in Glens Falls, The Owl at Twilight in Olmstedville, and Mouzon House and One Caroline Street, both in Saratoga Springs. Similarly, Sheldon Farms in Salem supplies potatoes, corn, green beans and squash to Yono's and Dale Miller in Albany, and Mrs. London's, Hattie's and Sperry's in Saratoga Springs, as well as maple syrup to Marche in Albany.

Schoharie Valley Farms grows 38 varieties of heirloom tomatoes and supplies produce as diverse as leeks and celeriac to many local restaurants. They source to The Palmer House in Rensselaerville, The Bears Steakhouse in Duanesburg, and Jake Moon. Richard Ball of Schoharie Valley Farms says that many restaurants see what's in season at the farm and plan their menus accordingly.

Restaurants that use local foods tend to be high-end, says Michael Cohen, the chef and owner of Chez Mike in East Greenbush, meaning that the average entree costs more than $20. "But it may be worth it," adds Cohen.

The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Mass., offers chef-raised pigs, local fruits and vegetables, local meats and breads, and even flowers for the tables. Executive chef Brian Alberg, who was just nominated for the first Columbia County Victoria Simons Locavore Award, says that 30 percent of their food budget is allocated for local foods. The Red Lion Inn's menu lists more than 15 local producers and offers a "sustainable breakfast," which is a way to sample their local foods including bacon for $5 to $15. Alberg sees offering local foods as a way to help local farmers and to keep the landscape of Berkshire County.

Marche at 74 State Street in Albany is synonymous with local foods. Even the name means "market" and their tag line is "farm-to-marche-fresh". Chef Brian Molino procures meats, cheeses and fruits and vegetables from local farms because, he says, the quality is so much better and he supports the local economy. "It's also important to know where your food is from," says Molino. He organizes special dinners around local farmers' produce and sometimes around spirits, wines and beers produced in New York State.

New World Bistro Bar in Albany and New World Home Cooking in Saugerties are both headed by chef Ric Orlando, who shops at farmers' markets and uses as much local products as possible. He believes in supporting small businesses, since he's one himself. New World Bistro Bar offers local meats from Reliable Brothers Meats in Green Island and fish from Local Ocean. They also feature specials with local produce and wines from the Finger Lakes, Long Island and the Hudson Valley.

But there are more affordable places where you can get a taste of local fare. They include Bros Tacos, the Honest Weight Co-op Deli and the Iron Gate Cafe in Albany; the Java Jazz Cafe in Delmar; and the Yellow Rock Cafe at Indian Ladder Farms in Altamont. All have entrees at $10 or less. Many restaurants list the names of their local farm suppliers on their menus or websites. To discover the farm-to-fork experience, follow the hints and listings here. View the restaurants' menus online, call ahead to your restaurant of choice, or ask your server for dishes featuring local foods.